Hiring demand in occupations more exposed to artificial intelligence (AI) has fallen by nearly 10% relative to less-exposed occupations across Asia, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which found that the decline has stabilised even as AI capabilities have improved.

The findings are based on an analysis of 40 million online job postings across 19 Asian economies. The report, Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific, published in October 2026, examines how AI is changing labour demand, the skills employers seek and the implications for economies with different demographic profiles.

The IMF said the evidence points to AI reshaping work rather than eliminating it entirely. While hiring demand has declined in occupations more exposed to the technology, employers are also seeking workers who can use AI tools, develop AI-based applications and integrate the technology into business processes.

The report cautioned that the effects vary across economies and occupations. It also noted that job postings measure new hiring demand rather than the full impact on employment, meaning the consequences of changes in recruitment may emerge over time.

The IMF's analysis found that hiring demand in occupations more exposed to AI weakened after the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. The difference became measurable as AI systems developed the ability to handle tasks that previously required more time and expertise from human workers.

By the time AI could perform tasks such as identifying and fixing bugs in a small software library, which would take a person about an hour, employer demand in more-exposed occupations had fallen by nearly 10% relative to less-exposed roles.

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